Ingredients
400g Good Earth black beans (soaked in water overnight), you can also use 2 cans organic black beans instead
4 small blue potatoes (boiled in their own skin until tender) and peeled/cubed afterwards
1 cup quinoa (any type, I had white but coloured quinoa would be nice too), cooked in 2 cup vegetable stock/broth and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
(if you prefer avoiding onion and garlic feel free to use the dried granule versions to infuse flavour)
chopped parsley/mint/basil/dried oregano (optional, in case your children don't like herbs)
chilli flakes for some heat (optional)
breadcrumbs (optional, only add if the mixture of ingredients is too loose/wet to form burgers)
100g toasted walnuts, chopped into small pieces to add texture to the burgers
50g black raisins, small ones can be left whole, larger ones chopped (they give a burst of sweetness to the burgers)
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2tbsp liquid smoke (if you don't have this, replace with Soy Sauce)
Instructions
1. Start with the beans, especially if you have the dry ones. These will require to be soaked overnight, then cooked in boiling water with a tbsp of bicarbonate of soda to speed up the cooking process. If you don't have time, opt for tinned black beans.
2. Cook the quinoa as instructed on the packet, you can do this from a day before if you wish to prep ingredients in advance. I first rinse the quinoa very well to remove any debris, but also to remove the bitter. soapy-tasting chemical called saponin. Then I allow it to dry, toast it in the pan to bring out its nutty flavour, and add 2 cups of vegetable stock/broth (for every cup of quinoa), and add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Cook it for a little less than instructed even if some stock is still visible, turn off the burner and allow the quinoa to soak up the remaining liquid and cool off on its own for a fluffy texture.
3. Boil the blue potato in salted water with their own skin, this will allow the potatoes to retain their deep purple colour while absorbing the least water possible. When cooked, rinse to stop the cooking process, peel them immediately and cut into cubes. Set aside.
4. In a frying pan, sauté the red onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil to bring out their intense flavours and caramelise them (make sure the garlic is not burnt, you can add this once the onion is almost cooked through). Season with salt, pepper and a hint of balsamic vinegar.
5. Now that you have all ingredients lined up, place the black beans and blue potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a fork to create a nice consistency (some ingredients will be mashed, some parts will remain in chunks).
6. Fold in the quinoa, the caramelised onions and garlic (or the dried granules), herbs, liquid smoke/soy sauce and walnuts. Mix the ingredients well but I suggest you press the mixture with your hands to make sure they bind together well. Taste one final time to understand if salt, pepper or other herbs/spices are required for an enhanced flavour.
7. Form balls with your hands, around 100g each depending if you want to make them small for children, or 200g version for adults. Place the balls on a lined baking tray and press gently with your hands or with the help of a glass bottom, to form the burger shapes.
8. Spray olive oil onto the burgers and cook in a 180C oven or in the air fryer until they develop a crust on both sides.
9. Serve the burgers in bread buns and garnish with your favourite toppings, like tomatoes/lettuce/avocado/plant-based mayo/ketchup etc. and serve alongside a nice salad, grilled vegetables or homemade fries for kids.
10. Enjoy these amazingly nutritious burgers with your family and friends!
